Wrench



-P. YORK.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1920.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

uNrrEo STATES PATENT orrlca.

PERCY YORK, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

WRENCH.

Toallwhom it mag mm: I Be it known that I, PERCY YORK, a citizen of Canada,'and a' resident of Duluth,

' Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for removing the socalled port plugs from the cylinders of internal combustion engines, such as those usually found on the engines of automobiles. Ordinarily, these plugs are provided with a plurality of notches, usually four in number, and these plugs are unscrewed when such is necessary, in various ways. Frequently, when a plug is so tightly screwed into the top of the cylinder that the removal thereof becomes a difiicult matter, a cold chisel or other simi-- lar tool is em loyed to start the-rotation of the plug. uch methods very often result in the breaking or mutilating of the plugs, so that after removalthey are then unfitted for further use.

Generally stated, therefore, the ob ect of the invention is to provide an implement or tool by which the plugs can be readily removed without danger of'injury thereto.

A special object is to provide a tool or implement of such shape that it will fit plugs of different shapes and sizes.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efficiency and the desirability of an engine port plug remover of this particular character.

To these and other useful ends the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine port plug remover embodying the principles of the invention, showing an ordinary wrench applied thereto for the rotation thereof, and showing the so-called port plug and the adjacent portions of the engine cylinder invertical section.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the said tool or implement which constitutes the port plug remover.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the port plug and surrounding portions of the engine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another form of the invention, showing the said tool or implement with a handle or lever formed integrally therewith.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 15, 1921.

Application filed February 16, 1920. Serial No. 358,954.

screwed tightly into the threaded socket in the top of the cylinder, it sometimes requires the application of a. cold chisel or some similar tool to start the rotationof the plug, and these notches are provided for this purpose. F requently,'however, a cold chisel when inserted in one of the notches 3, and after considerable hammering thereon, will crack or so mutilate the plug that the latter is unfit for further useafter being removed.

o obviate all difiiculty,'as.much as possible, in the removal of port plugs of this character, and with a view to insuring against unnecessary injury thereto a tool or implement is provided, comprislng a shank portion 4 which is preferably square or polygonal in cross section, an upper round or 'cylindric handle portion 5, and lower radial fins. By making the wings or fins 6 of some length-that is to say, by extending them outwardly radially from the axis of the tool or implement for a suflicient distance, the tool or implement will be capable of use in connection with plugs of different diameters. or different sizes, the ribs 6 extending into the notches 3 of a small plug or one of larger diameter. As there are more than two of the engaging port-ions 6, and inasmuch as they fit the notches 3 in the port plug, regardless of the diameter of the latter, it follows that the wings or enga ing portions 6 serve also to prevent lateral displacement of the wrench or tool in any direction, so that the tool is centered merely by'the engaging portions themselves, on plugs of different diameters, there being nothlng which. extends downward from the bottom of the tool to center the wrench on the port plug, for the bottom is flush with the lower edges of the engaging portions 6 which extend laterally from the lower portion of the tool. A wrench having a handle 8 and a squared portion 9 to slip over the squared portion 4 of the. port plug remover may be employed for rotating the latter, as shown in Fig. 1, it being understood that the round portion 5 can be twirled or rapidly rotated between the thumb and finger after the plug is started from its seat, or while the plug is being inserted. thus facilitating the removing and replacingof the plug.

If desired, the port plug remover can be made as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the handle or lever 10 is formed integrally with the body 11 of the remover, thelatter having its wings or fins 6 formed, however, like those previously described.

Obviously, therefore, the invention provides a tool or implement which can be used for removing an engine port plug in a ready and effective manner without danger of injury thereto, inasmuch as the ribs or wings or fins 6 have simultaneous engagement with the notches 3 of the plug, so that a forceful rotation of the tool or implement by the wrench handle 8, or by an integral handle 10, will easily start or initially rotate the plug from its seat, and after that the portion 5 can be rapidly twirled or twisted between the thumb and finger, in an obvious manner, thereby to hasten the removal of the plug. lVhen the plug is reinserted, the portion 5 is rapidly rotated between the thumb and finger, while the ribs or wings or fins 6 are in engagement with the notches 3 of the plug, and when the plug finds its seat, the final rotation and tightening thereof is accomplished by means of the handle 8, or by other means, thereby to tightly screw the plug into its threaded socket. With the construction shown and described, the tool or implement thus formed to engage the notches of a port plug can be made all in one piece, by casting or forging the tool into the proper shape, and from the proper metal, such as steel, so that the device will have the proper or required strength, and will also be comparatively cheap or economical to manufacture.

The wings or engaging portions 6, it will be seen, are plainly visible when the wrench is viewed from above, so that the said portions can be accurately fitted to the notches in the upper edges of the plug, when it is desired to apply the wrench or tool for-the purpose of unscrewing the plug, or for the purpose of tightening the plu in its seat in the top of the engine cylin er.

What I claim as my invention is 1. Means forming a tool for removing an engine port plug having more than two equidistant notches formed in the top or circular edge thereof, comprising a body portion formed With outwardly extending engaging portions which are visible when the tool is viewed from above and which are disposed in position to enter said notches of the plug, so thateach portion will rest in the bottom of a notch, said engaging portions being disposed in position to prevent lateral displace ment of the tool in any direction, whereby the tool is centered merely by the engaging portions themselves, on vplugs of different diameters, and means to rotate said body portion about the axis of the plug, thereby to twist the plug one way or the other.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said body portion having said engaging portions formed integrally therewith, in the shape of ribs extending parallel with the axis of said body portion, and said engaging portions being flush with the end of the body portion and extending a distance radially from the sides thereof, whereby these engaging portions will enter the notches of plugs of different diameters or sizes.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said body portion being polygonal in cross section to receive a wrench or tool for the rotation thereof, and having an upper ,cylindric portion to be rotated rapidly between the thumb and finger, substantially as shown and described. i

4. A device for usein removing the port plugs fromengine cylinders, comprising a body portion, radially extending engaging portions formed integral with said. bodyportion, said engaging portions being disposed in position to prevent lateral displacement of said device in any direction and being in the form of ribs or wings or fins which are visible when the tool is viewed from above and which are parallel with the axis of said body portion, whereby. the tool is centered merely by the engaging portions themselves, on plugs of different diameters, and means formed integral with the upper end of said body portion to rotate the device.

PERCY YORK. 

